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NEW TEST FOR DRIVING SAFETY

A NEW TEST, THE MICHIGAN ALCOHOLIC SCREENING TEST, HAS BEEN DEVELOPED THAT MAY REDUCE THE NUMBER OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF ALCOHOL. THE 26- QUESTION TEST IS INTENDED AS A SCREENING DEVICE AND IS GIVEN TO PERSONS CONVICTED OF DRUNK DRIVING, DRUNK AND DISORDERLY BEHAVIOR, OR WITH SEVERAL TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. IT CAN BE USEFUL AS A SELF-ADMINISTERED TEST FOR PEOPLE WITH DRINKING PROBLEMS. DEVELOPED BY DR. MARVIN L. SELZER, A PSYCHIATRIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, THE TEST REVEALS JUST WHO IS AN ALCHOLIC AND JUST HOW ALCOHOLIC HE IS. CONSIDERING THE TRAFFIC SAFETY PROBLEM, DR. SELZER, FEELS THAT HIS TEST IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN MEASURING THE LEVEL OF ALCOHOL CONTENT IN THE BLOOD. THE TEST WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH WORK WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HIGHWAY SAFETY RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND IS STILL BEING VALIDATED. /ARTICLE/